P-R-A-Y

Today we wrap up the Ascent psalms, each a song that was sung by worshippers on their way to Jerusalem for a feast, festival, and fellowship at the temple. Psalm 134 is one of the more brief songs and leaves me wondering what the melody was like as they put one foot in front of another and trekked through their journey:

Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord!

Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord! 

May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth!

One thing I’m learning about the Lord is how everything he asks of us, ultimately benefits us. Can you think of anything in scripture that we are called to do that doesn’t ultimately grow us or protect us? Worshipping him is no different. This psalm instructs us to bless (worship) the Lord and lift up our hands to Him. Why would the God of the universe, creator of all things, care whether or not I praise Him?
This song affirms that when we worship and glorify the Lord, we are blessed in return. So how exactly does that work? My best guess is that the act of praising God for who he is and what he has done, will draw our hearts closer to him and further from this world. By focusing on God’s attributes and having a heart of gratitude, we are less likely to have a grumbling spirit. I’ve been challenged in my faith journey to spend more time in focused worship. Have you ever heard the acrostic P-R-A-Y to help guide your prayer time? Here’s a visual:
This really stuck with me – and pointed out that while I have so much to be grateful for, my worship was pretty routine and even mundane at times. I have found that when I spend intentional time praising God for who He is, it leads me to recognize even more of who He is in my every day life. For example, worshipping God for his faithfulness and focusing on that, helps me see other ways he has been faithful in my life.  As I praise Him, He becomes even bigger and more worthy of my praise. The things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace (Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Helen Howarth Lemmel).
When life seems to be out of control, I can focus my prayer time on the P in PRAY and it will center me back to who He is, and what He has done. Not to mention, it’s a great reminder of what He will do. Glorifying God isn’t just for him – it blesses me at the same time!
 This past week we wrapped up the last day of school for my kiddos, 5th grade and 2nd grade! In-person learning has been a privilege and blessing and we have grown so much doing school during a pandemic. Educators, students, and parents made the most of this opportunity, and yet it was still very different. I was so excited that John’s second grade teacher decided to host her own classroom awards to recognize each student for something special. Like all the events this year, parents weren’t able to attend (social distancing, etc). Lucky for us, his sweet teacher offered us a zoom link to watch and participate. Sure, it’s not the same, but it’s better than nothing! These eight year olds were so excited for this special time on their last day.
 I looked at my watch, okay I have forty minutes to finish a project I was working on before this zoom.   S Q U I R R E L !  Something distracted me and before I knew it, I went from project to laundry to dishes – and completely spaced the zoom. FOR DIRTY DISHES! My heart sank when I realized it. After a year of not having parent volunteers in the classroom, field trips, and so many other things…this small classroom zoom was going to be a special way to “wrap up” the year. I couldn’t believe I missed the chance to celebrate these kids! I was so bummed out – as was John when he realized I wasn’t on the zoom. I missed what his teacher had to say, and wasn’t at home cheering him along.
 While celebrating my second grader’s achievements is quite different than lifting up our hands and glorifying God, this parallel struck me. How many times have I rushed through and missed a chance to celebrate God? Am I just as bummed when I’ve spent time talking to the Lord but don’t pause to recognize all he has done in my life? Don’t glorify him? Does my time talking with God center around me and my needs, wants, repentance, etc?
 John’s missed zoom pales in comparison… but the lost opportunity was still a blow. I was so mad at myself! Is each lost opportunity to recognize and praise God a bigger blow in my heart? If not, why?

Mountain Dew

Over ten years ago when my parents took our boys to the zoo, they did what all grandparents love to do. They say yes to things that the parents might say no to. That thing was to allow our little Peyton (~age 5 at the time) to drink Mountain Dew (which he immediately fell in love with, and still today begs for this drink whenever there’s a chance).

While Amy and I might have delayed this “yes”, we weren’t upset, and secretly I was a little proud as Mountain Dew also holds a special place in my heart. That strange green color, the unique citrus taste, memories of 50 cent Big Gulps at 7-11 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan (fire up Chips!) and Dew with my Taco Bell feasts.

Dew from Mount Hermon

Today’s reading is Psalm 133 which consists of only three verses so I sent the verses to my boys and asked them for their thoughts. They read it and had no thoughts (as can be expected from most teenage boys). Some days later while driving to school I asked the boys to read the verses out loud, so they started:

How wonderful and pleasant it is
  when brothers live together in harmony! (Psalm 133:1)

Laughter erupted as though we had all heard it for the first time and reflected on some of the arguing that occurred only moments prior! God’s word, out loud, supernatural. We had some conversation about what happens when we treat each other according to God’s ways and also what happens when we don’t live in harmony, going against God’s will. What a blessing. Why don’t we do this more often?

Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon
    that falls on the mountains of Zion.
And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing,
    even life everlasting. (Psalm 133:3)

As we wrapped up with verse three, I said this verse reminds me of being so thirsty and finally getting a cold drink of water. Peyton of course then said “dad, its Mountain Dew!” (dew from Mount Hermon). Yes son, I guess you’re right!

Arriving home about 15 minutes later I told Amy about the conversation and while we laughed we also talked about the God-ordained moments that point us to further belief.

Then about ten minutes later she went through her Timehop photos (where it shows your photo memories over the years) and this picture came up. Five years ago to this very day. Haven’t seen this photo in a year. Didn’t plan to talk about Mountain Dew in the car. Didn’t plan to read the Bible in the car. Didn’t know what I was going to write about for this post. Didn’t choose today’s scripture.

The takeaway is a deepened faith in our God who loved us first, who seeks a relationship with us, who went to the most extreme length to save us if we choose to follow him through faith in Jesus Christ. Just as God knew over ten years ago at the zoo that this photo would come up, and the scriptures aligned, I’d be writing this to you today – He knows your future, he has a plan, and it is good.

He’s in every story of all of our lives and as we open our eyes and hearts seek him, we find him. Thank you God.

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

Psalm 132

The author and occasion for this Psalm are not mentioned in the Bible.  However, the context suggests the setting may have been when the tabernacle was brought to Jerusalem during David’s reign.  In the first half of this passage, we see that David was obsessed with finding a permanent dwelling place for the Lord.  After many years of dwelling in a traveling tabernacle, David was convinced God deserved better and was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen.

 

“I will not enter my house or get into my bed, I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob” (Psalm 132:3-5).

By describing him as a man after God’s own heart, the Bible tells us David was in close relationship with God.  The kind of relationship marked by putting others’ needs ahead of your own.  Can you identify?  Are you in a relationship that is so close you prioritize others’ needs ahead of your own?  If yes, consider yourself very fortunate.  Relationships that close are rare and seldom exist outside of a family.  I would love to say I’m good at this, but I’m not.  Case in point – I’m writing this post today from the parking lot outside of the Orange Leaf frozen yogurt shop where I wait for my daughter.  Putting someone else’s needs ahead of mine today looked like 4 trips to/from the pool, a trip to/from Orange Leaf, a trip to/from the park, then home to make dinner. This certainly isn’t how I planned to spend my day.  I was willing to do it, however, because I know my 14 year old daughter needs every opportunity to get summer off on the right foot after 15 long months of COVID isolation.  Did I put her needs ahead of mine today?  Yes.  But I’m tired and did I do it without grumbling at least a little bit?  No.

 

As I think about my life and my relationship with God, I am humbled today.  Despite occasionally putting others’ first, I am not capable of “outgiving” God.  He created me and continually provides for my needs.  Even though I am undeserving, he continues to provide for me and my family.  Most importantly, he sent Jesus to make a way for me to spend eternity with him.  Thank you Lord.

Psalm 131

Psalm 131:1-3 Lord, I have given up my pride and turned away from arrogance. I am not concerned with great matters or with subjects too difficult for me. Instead, I am content and at peace. As a child lies quietly in its mothers arms, so my heart is quiet within me. Israel, trust in the Lord now and forever. GNT

Psalm 131 is a psalm of humility. It is the end of “me, me, me” and finding a place of quiet contentment in God’s presence. This is where God wants each of us and this is where true peace and contentment occur. God wants to reveal Himself in us and through us so all would come to know Him. Unfortunately we are prone to take a lot of the credit for ourselves or even worse, not even acknowledge God in the things we are doing. We are too prideful and think we can do it all on our own.

An attitude of pride results in an anxious soul which keeps us from feeling the contentment and peace promised to us through Jesus. Pride comes in so many forms. Adam and Eve were the first to sin. They fell for the temptation that they could be like God and they stopped trusting in the things God told them. they wanted to do things their own way. Sinful pride is refusing to recognize God’s sovereign role in every aspect of our lives. It’s the difference between “look what I did and how well I did it” and “look what God did through an imperfect person like me”. Striving for more and better in this world has no end and it will leave us exhausted and anxious, always looking for the next project or accomplishment. But when we give up our pride and acknowledge God’s hand in our lives and His work in us, we feel contentment and peace. He is in charge! We don’t need to strive or work for God’s peace. We need to confess our pride to Him and then trust that He has a plan and is working it to completion everyday.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.

 

My Soul Waits for the Lord

Today’s Reading: Psalm 130

5. I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
and in his word, I put my hope.

Future, past, wisdom, fears, trust, adversity, words, God, truth, and parenting.   These are just some of the topics of notecards I like to have in hand reach. Often in one of my pockets.  Each of these cards has various verses that speak truth through scripture. When I need hope and realize that none of that comes from me, I will use His words to help me face any situation I may have.  This is every day multiple times a day.  I can usually tell you the result of when I reflect on His words and when I don’t.

Where do you need to find hope today? Lean into God’s word to find exactly what you need.  Please take a moment to jot it down on a piece of paper or notecard and carry it around with you.

Here are a few verses for today!

  • Future – 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
  • Worry – 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6: 33-34
  • Life – Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
  • Words – Gracious words are a honeycomb,
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24
  • Others – 8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9
  • Past – He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
  • God – Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and[i] knowledge of God!
    How unsearchable his judgments,
    and his paths beyond tracing out!  Romans 11:33
  • Adversity – and call on me in the day of trouble;
    I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” Psalm 50:15
  • Wisdom – Teach us to number our days,
    that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:15

Listen to this song called Your Word…Stay blessed. 

http://https://youtu.be/dEktQ7JUdK0

 

The Lord is Righteous

Psalms 129

“Greatly[a] have they afflicted me from my youth”—
    let Israel now say—
2 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
    yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back;
    they made long their furrows.”
4 The Lord is righteous;
    he has cut the cords of the wicked.
5 May all who hate Zion
    be put to shame and turned backward!
6 Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
    which withers before it grows up,
7 with which the reaper does not fill his hand
    nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8 nor do those who pass by say,
    “The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
    We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

This is one of many songs that is in the Septuagint. This psalm was originally song while making one of the three mandatory annual pilgrimages which is written about in Deuteronomy Chapter 16: The Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths. Each of these pilgrimages were to call the people of God back to their main place of worship. This was a way of returning and remembering the goodness and providence of God. The Septuagint consists of the psalms 119-133.

In our western practice of Christianity, these have been used in daily prayers, particularly in the monastic and vesper practices. These prayers are still practiced today in many monasteries and convents. They are part of the three, seven, or nine daily prayers. In these prayers it is similarly the original Hebrew prayers, it is remembering a time in which we were oppressed as a religion and now we have the freedom under God to worship.

In childhood and throughout our lives we all have been the victim of bullies and verbal abuse. Sometimes it is passive, but others times it is overt and harsh. This teasing or demeaning behaviors can have some harsh and irrevocable effects on the individual. We are currently transitioning into a more open and accepting world, but bullying and teasing are still current. We as adults have to listen and console our children and others who are subjected to this unjust behavior. We have to encourage our sons and young men to be sensitive to others needs and be affectionate to others without any stigmas or questions of their masculinity. We need to enrich our daughters in the ways of engineering and backcountry knowledge and help them to become reliable in all situations without a question of their femininity. This psalm reaches out to us to remember our youth and allows us to be emboldened to not have the same ignorance of our past to dictate that of our children. This psalm teaches us to not forget the past but to remember and then move forward.

The main portion of this psalm is hidden in the middle: THE LORD IS RIGHTEOUS. No matter what has afflicted us in the past or what we think should be of the ones that afflicted us, God is righteous and his grace will be given to us all the time. No matter what has been done to us or held from us, we cannot allow this to shape who we are in God’s eyes. He alone is righteous and give this to us. Let us remember the times of our youth: the good, bad, and the ugly. These times make us who we are because God used his righteous to keep us righteous for His sake.

Fear the Lord

When I first read Psalm 128 earlier this week,  the first thing that came to mind was an Instagram post.  You know the one…the one with the family enjoying a perfect day at the beach?  Or, the last day of school pic where all the kids are shown with perfect grades and honors?  Or, the mom whipping up the gourmet dinner and making it look so easy?  Or, (last one) the picture of the remodeled, perfectly decorated house?  These are glimpses into people’s lives that we are exposed to daily, especially if we look at any social media.  They have the opportunity to encourage and motivate us, but they also have the ability to make us feel “less than.”  

Read through Psalm 128 (it’s only 6 verses:)

1Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!  2You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;  you shall be blessed and it shall be well with you.  3Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;  your children will be like olive shoots around your table.  4Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.  5The Lord bless you from Zion!  May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life!  6May you see your children’s children!  Peace be upon Israel!

Psalm 128 (ESV)

Wow!  Reading through the Psalm we see the picture of a perfect family.  Kind of like looking at Instagram posts.  This is where reality hits because, none of us have this ideal or perfect family! None of us have a perfect family here on earth, but we will all experience the blessing of an ideal family in heaven.

God may or may not bless you with marriage or children in this life.  But, the promise of Psalm 128 remains – “Blessed are all who fear the Lord.”  God has promised to bless all those who fear him and walk in His ways.  When you long for the same things God longs for, you will see your desires fulfilled.  

This Psalm teaches us that there is a direct relationship between our attitudes and actions and God’s blessing in our life.  God’s blessing is available to everyone, we can choose to welcome it or chase it away.  It all comes down to fearing the Lord.

But, that always confuses me.  What does it actually mean to fear the Lord?  Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “fear” as “an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger;  anxious concern; or unpleasant alarm”, but it also notes it means “profound reverence and awe, especially toward God.”  

Fear of the Lord means to have a heart that is in awe of who God is, who he has created, and who he has made us to be.  To create lives for ourselves that make God proud.  To accept ourselves and love ourselves the way he made us, because we are made in his image.  Fear of the Lord simply helps us become the best version of ourselves.  

How we live our life matters.  There is a ripple effect that flows outward and touches those around us.  Our attitudes and actions impact our personal lives, our family life, our community and future generations.  Psalm 28 teaches us that the influence of a godly person is great.  God’s blessing flows outward from the individual, to the family, to the church, and to all the people of God.

Psalm 127: Work in Vain

Recently, during a pretty typical conversation at work with my manager, she asked me this question: “So what’s been motivating you lately?” A fairly innocuous and usual question, but I’d been thinking about Psalm 127 and, playing this conversation back in my head later, it got me feeling as though God was asking me that question about my walk with Him. What has been motivating me in life lately? Has it been my own ambitions, pursuits of my own accomplishment and provision of my own supply; or has it been pursuing God, and what He has given me? Have I been thankful for & driven by the works of my own hand, or by the works of His hand guiding me?

Psalm 127 lays out the simple fact that if we’re motivated solely by our own work and the whim of whatever we can find to bide our time, we’re pouring ourselves into temporary distractions that will be crushingly disappointing. Anything we can do is done in vain, when we do it because we only trust the work of our own hands over God’s. My mind goes to Ecclesiastes – all is meaningless and vain if you don’t remember the Creator. But on the flip side, any work and labor we do to honor our portion graciously given to us & to glorify Him and His kingdom becomes an act of glorification and thankfulness.

Verses 1 and 2 of this passage repeat this idea of toiling in vain; this makes me think of Jesus’s words in Matthew 6:25-27: “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” When we needless run ourselves way too thin doing as much as we can because we misplace all the burden of providing on ourselves, are we reflecting Jesus’s assurances against our anxieties? When we stay up at night losing sleep because we’re worried about our work, our family life, our finances, our house, etc., who should we be listening to: Satan whispering lies of failure and fear into our ear, or God telling us He’s got it handled? Rather than needing to dwell on our concerns alone, God offers a reprieve from the shackles of worry through trusting that He provides what is fair and necessary.

And yes, this includes trusting God’s plan for your children! The latter half of this passage goes into the blessings of growing your family – and it’s no mistake these two topics going together. I’m not a parent myself, but between my own parents, my mentors with now-adult kids, and my younger friends having children right now, I’ve seen how raising your children to grow into good, God-centered people can be difficult at all steps. As this psalm says, the end result a blessing and reward from God. But this increasingly stressful path is one that requires putting your trust in God, that He has great plans to grow and watch over your young. You can put all the effort into your parenting possible and worry endlessly over your children, but no matter what you do, Christ alone saves His followers (John 10:28, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand”). Knowing Jesus is watching over your loved ones as they walk through life with Him has been a valuable encouragement for me – I pray it would be for you too.

Now, this is convicting for me to write, because I am definitely not without sin in this area. Almost everyone I know gets too worried about something from time to time. But I know God speaks through the most opportune moments – and I pray he would remind you to offer up your need for control as well today. Pray for conviction to recognize the need to surrender our feelings to God in times of toil; for wisdom and insight into how His word and His Scripture can deliver peace and spiritual rest; for a radical trust that will allow God to shine a light of unfailing hope through your life; and that in whatever you do, you would do it for the glory of Christ.

Do You Want to Be Healed?

Today’s reading is Psalm 126. Here the psalmist writes of successes or fortunes after challenging times.

5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 126:5-6

Have you had an opportunity to watch The Chosen series? If not, I highly recommend it. It is a multi-season series about Jesus available for download on your phone or tablet through the app store which you can project to your TV.  Although made for adults, our kids ages 8,5, and 3 love it as well. Season 2, Episode 4 came out a few weeks ago which was about John 5:1-17 where Jesus heals the man who had been a paralytic at the pool believed to heal the first one who could get into the water when it bubbled up for 38 years. This is my favorite story in the Bible for a couple reasons. First, probably because if I was born during that time I could be the paralytic because I would eventually be paralyzed due to spinal stenosis without modern medicine. Secondly, I believe these verses are packed with life lessons which I believe God is speaking through their interaction in these verses.

Jesus could obviously could have just healed the man, but what does he ask him first in John 5:6, “Do you WANT to be healed?” If you are going through challenges right now you are probably saying…”Chet..of course I do!” However, if we really go deeper..how many times do we find ourselves responding to our challenges like the paralytic in John 5:7, “Sir…I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I’m going down another steps down before me.” This is what my former business coach calls the trap of the viable excuse. We all have excuses which all have an element of truth in them. The problem with that is that when we give one excuse it can lead to another and another..all of which have an element of truth in them. However, will giving those excuses actually improve our situation in any way? We have to stop giving excuses and first truly want to be healed.

Next, Jesus says to the paralytic in John 5:8, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” The paralytic could have asked Jesus if Jesus was crazy and that he was paralyzed and had been there for 38 years. Get real…don’t you know my problem, Jesus? C’mon! But, what did the paralytic do? He had faith and believed that Jesus could and would heal him and he stood up and walked! God can heal us…but…we have do our part to have faith AND then take action. As my brother in Christ Brian McClure  says, “We have to be fully submitted AND committed to God’s calling for our life.” Another way to put it is faith AND action. If we look at Jesus’ miracles like this one, nearly all not only required faith, but a human element of us to do our part and take action in faith. God wants to see our faith and belief through action. Again…fully submitted to His plan for our life, whatever it is, AND committed to do our part as well..faith AND action.

Here are a few questions for you today..are you in a season of life where you are sowing in tears as the psalmist says and taking action? Keep sowing with faith. Or..do you need to do your part for God’s healing to take action in faith? What miracles can God do in your life if you are fully submitted AND committed where in God’s timing you can eventually “come home with shouts of joy, bringing sheaves..?”

And let us no grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Ephesians 3:20-21

Praise God

 

 

Psalm 125 is a praise song that the Israelites sang together while walking to Jerusalem for the Feast of Jehovah. This feast was celebrated every year. The people would make the trip so they could worship and celebrate together. Can you picture the scene?… a steady stream of people joyfully singing as they make their way up towards the city surrounded by mountains and hills. The temple sits at the highest point of the city so as they march up, praising God together with this song, their eyes are on the temple. The imagery is stunning and I get goose bumps thinking of the sound of masses of people praising God with this song on their journey. I wish I could hear the melody that goes with these words.

This tribute to God shows the people’s reverence toward His holy name. It speaks of His long-suffering, His goodness and grace, and it shouts thanksgiving for His everlasting mercy. These people had witnessed God’s faithfulness in the past. They were confident in His continuing goodness and grace toward them in the future. They recognized that God’s loving-kindness is unsurpassed and that His strength is matchless. They knew with certainty that God’s promises to His people last forever so they publicly and shamelessly raised their voices in this song to thank God.

 

“Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever. Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people, both now and forever.”

 

The promises in this Psalm are meant for us just as they were for the Israelites. We can look back through our own lives and see God’s goodness, faithfulness, grace, kindness and strength. We can recall the times He protected us, intervened on our behalf, and loved us beyond what we can comprehend. We should also look forward to the fulfillment of His promise to complete the good work He has started in all of us through Jesus. His promises last forever so He will not abandon us in our partially “finished” state. He will continue to shape us, renew our hearts, and complete the work of making us more like Him. This is praiseworthy! This makes me want to get to a mountaintop so I can shout out my thanks! There is hope for the things I am struggling with and the flaws in my person. He is working in me and changing me. He will complete the good work He has begun in me!!!